Valve



VALVE Filed Sept. 4, 1954 A TTORN S.

Patented June 8, 1937 UNITE snares a grip Application September 2Claims.

This invention relates to valves and especially to an oscillating typeof sleeve valve for use in internal combustion engines and the like.

The object of the present invention is general- 1y to improve andsimplify the construction and operation of valves of the characterdescribed; to provide an expansible form of sleeve valve which willautomatically take up wear and compensate for heat distortions inoperation, without any mechanical adjustments; to provide a valve of thecharacter described which will permit the use of intake and exhaustports of large area and which will effectively seal said ports when inclosed position without undue pressure or friction; to provide a valvewhich permits high speed operation without danger of valve flutter andimproper seating; to provide a valve in which there is a large contactarea with either water or air cooled surfaces of the engine so as toeliminate any danger of overheating and warping of the valve; to providea valve in which there is a wiping action between the valve and seatwhen opening or closing the same so as to materially reduce the chanceof foreign matter, such as carbon or coarse dust particles, being lodgedbetween the valve andseat; and further, to provide a valve and actuatingmechanism in which the movable parts are exceedingly light in weight soas to reduce inertia forces to a minimum.

The valve is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawing,in which- Fig. 1 is a central vertical section of the cylinder head inan internal combustion engine showing the position of the valves.

Fig, 2 is a horizontal section taken on line IIII of Fig. 1. t

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the plugs.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view partly broken away showing the valve.

Referring to the drawing in detail, and particularly Figs. 1 and 2, Aindicates the cylinder of an internal combustion engine, B the piston, Cthe cylinder head in which is formed an inlet port D and an exhaust portE; and F-F indicates a pair of valves whereby the ports are opened andclosed at proper time intervals.

The valves F-F form the subject matter of the present application and,as they are identical in construction and operation, the description ofone should suffice.

The valve proper is best illustrated in Fig. 4. It consists of a sleeveconstructed of cast iron, or similar material. The major portion of thesleeve is cut away, leaving a ring portion 2 at 55 each end and a bridgeor connecting member 3,

4, 1934, Serial No. 742,577

which forms the port or valve opening closure; the closure portion 3 ofthe valve being materially wider and longer than the port opening withwhich it cooperates to insure proper seating v and closing of the portwhen the valve assumes closed position. The cylinder head is boredtransversely to receive the sleeve valve and as the valve, whenfinished, is slightly larger than the bore provided for its receptionsplitting of the rings, as indicated at 4, is necessary to permit aslight contraction when the sleeve valve is inserted.

After insertion the ring-shaped ends of the valve tend to exp-and backto normal size. This expanding action is important as it holds the valvein engagement with its seat. It automatically takes up wear between thevalve and seat and it also compensates for heat distortion and forexpansion and contraction due totemperature changes.

The transverse bore, which is provided for the reception of the valve,has a bearing portion formed at each end thereof which is provided forthe reception and support of the ring-shaped ends of the valve. Theserings, as already stated, are expansible and as such react with relationto the hearings to maintain the valve in engagement with its seat.

In view of the fact that the sleeve valve must be oscillated about itslongitudinal axis to open and close the port with which it cooperates,means must be provided for transmitting an 05- cillating movement andmeans must also be provided for closing the ends of the valve to pre--vent leakage and tosecure the valve against end.- wise movement. Toaccomplish this a plug 6 is placed at one end of the bore in which thevalve has been inserted. The plug extends into the ring-shaped end ofthe valve and is provided with an annular shoulder 1 against which oneend of the valve abuts. The plug is hollow as indicated at 8 to permitfree circulation of air or any other cooling medium, and it is providedwith an exterior flange 9 whereby it is secured to the cylinder head byscrews IE3 or the like.

The plug disposed at the opposite end of the valve is made in twosections such as indicated at H and 12, the section II constituting acylindrical driving head and extending into the ringshaped end of thevalve and being provided with an annular shoulder l4 against which theend of the valve abuts. The: exterior surface of the shoulder presentsan angular seat is which engages a similar shapedseat l6 formed on theinner end of the plug section I2. The plug section H is otherwiseprovided with a stem l1 which projects through to section 12, and acrank arm I8 is secured to the outer end thereof. An exterior flange i9is formed in the section l2 and screws or bolts extend therethrough tosecure it to the exterior surface of the cylinder head in a mannersimilar to the plug 6.

The plug indicated at 6 serves three functions; first that of sealingone end of the valve; secondly, that of securing the valve againstendwise movement in one direction; and third, that of cooling one end ofthe valve. The plug I I serves the same functions but in additionthereto it serves in conjunction with the section I2 to seal escape ofgases around the stem l1, and it also functions as a means fortransmitting an oscillating movement to the valve.

The sealing or prevention of leakage around the stem is accomplished bythe angular seats l5 and I6 which are held in engagement with each otherby the spring 22. 'Ifhe oscillating movement is transmitted asfollows:Castor other wise formed on the inner surface of the valve on the endadjacent the plug H are a pair of spaced lugs 23; and similarly formedon the inner end of the plug H is a lug 24, which becomes interposedbetween the lugs 23 when plug 4 is inserted. The several lugs form asplined or interlocked connection between the valve and the plug H andas the plug is provided with a stem and a crank arm on the outer endthereof a connection, not here shown, may be made between the crank armand the camshaft of the engine, whereby an oscillatingmovement istransmitted.

Inasmuch as the expanding action of the ringshaped ends of the valve isdepended upon to take up wear between the valve and its seat and tocompensate for heat distortions, expansion and contraction due totemperature changes, etc., ring grooves such as indicated at 26 and 2'!are formed in the respective plugs and expansion rings 25a and 21a areplaced in each V groove, which engage the 'inner faces of the rings.This introduction of a second set of eX- pansion rings is advantageousas it adds. to the expanding action of the valve rings, therebyreinforcing their action and increasing the life and utility of thevalve.

By constructing a valve as here shown inertia forces are maintained at aminimum due to the light weight of the valve and high speed operation isaccordingly possible without danger of valve flutter, or improperseating. Lubrication is taken care of by drilling a series of holes,such as indicated at 39, through the ring-shaped ends of the valve.These holes collect oil and as such assure ample lubrication as theysupply oil both to the exterior surface of the valve and to the surfacesin contact with the plugs. Due to the length of the valves, a large areawill be presented to surfaces which are either water or air cooled,hence insuring cool ring valves; cooling action being further promotedby the plugs. Wear is automatically taken up by the expanding action ofthe ring-shaped ends of the valve and heat distortion, etc., aresimilarly taken care of.

Springs to retain the valves on their seats, valve tappets, and similardevices are entirely eliminated, thus materially reducing the number. ofparts required and simplifying construction and operation. a

While certain features of the present invention are more or lessspecifically described, I

wish it understood that various changes may be resorted to within thescope of the appended claims. Similarly, that the materials and finishof the several parts employed may be such as the manufacturer maydecide, or varying conditions or uses may demand.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:-

1. In a valve structure of the class described, a housing having acylindrical bore extending therethrough with a bearing at each endthereof and a port formed in the housing and opening through the bore ata point intermediate the gearings, the bore portion intermediate thebearings forming a valve seat, a relatively narrow valve member arcuatein cross section cooperating with the valve seat and presenting an innerconcave face, a narrow resilient ring formed integral with each end ofthe valve member and supported by the bearings, said rings being splitentirely through transversely at a point substantially diametricallyopposite the valve member and expansible to maintain the valve inengagement with its seat, a closure for one end of the bore having aplug extending into the adjacent ring, a removable closure for the otherend of the bore, a substantially cylindrical driving head removablethrough the adjacent end of the bore and detachably retained in place bythe removable closure and provided with an operating stem extendingthrough such closure, said driving head and adjacent ring havingcooperating means detachably interlocking the driving head and ring, andyieldable means for maintaining the driving head in continuous tightengagement with the closure.

2. In a valve structure of the class described, a housing having acylindrical bore extending therethrough with a bearing at each endthereof and a port formed in the housing and opening through the bore ata point between the bearings, the bore at a point between the bearingsforming a valve seat, a relatively narrow valve member arcuate in crosssection cooperating with said seat and presenting an inner concave face,a narrow resilient ring formed integral with each end of the valvemember and sup ported by the bearings, said rings being split entirelythrough transversely at a point substantially diametrically opposite thevalve member and expansible to maintain the valve member in engagementwith its seat, a closure for one end of the bore having a plug extendinginto the adjacent ring, a removable closure for the other end of thebore spaced from the adjacent ring and having a beveled seat at itsinner face, a substantially cylindrical driving. head removable throughthe adjacent end of the bore and detachably retained in place by theremovable closure and provided with an operating stem extending throughthe adjacent closure, said driving head having a beveled seat at itsouter end to fit the beveled seat of the removable closure and reducedin diameter to fit within the adjacent ring and form a shoulder toengage the outer edge of the same, cooperating means on the driving headand on the contiguous ring including a lug and a recess receiving thelug to interlock detachably the driving head and said contiguous ring,and a spring for urging the driving head outwardly to maintain thebeveled seatsin tight engagement.

7 NAPOLEON B. SIMPSON.

